Disconnection and Sadness

I'm gong to take a leap here. Our problem is not Congress, the Tea Party, Rush Limbaugh, cable TV, internet, talking heads, et al. They're only manifestations of a swarming and struggling population who have been disconnected from each other, their neighborhoods, communities, and even their "friends." We now live in an age during which a neighbor can literally drive in and out of their driveway and disappear into their automatically operated garage door. We never see each other. Often we don't have the time to understand or know each other. Every day I deal with this disconnection when I take my short jogs or walks. Litter everywhere along the road. I try to pick it up; but it makes me sad. Sad that the folks who toss it out don't understand anything about the neighborhoods through which they travel, don't know the people in the homes, neighborhoods, etc. Sad that they have been so miseducated to think that it's ok to toss trash from their cars. Sad that much of the stuff I collect is fast food, high sugar, alcohol, caffeine products (plus lottery tickets). Disconnection, false hopes, sadness. Seriously, does anyone believe that the lottery is anything but a huge tax on folks who are struggling and ignorant. Makes you wonder. How can we reconnect with each other, our neighbors, our community? How do we heal and reach out to all these folks who are trashing the earth and our communities? Not enough to blame and shame. We have to figure this out.